- Idaho Farm Bureau

Transcription

- Idaho Farm Bureau

Summer 2009 Volume 9, Issue 3
Niche Marketing
Equals Success for
Caribou County
Farm Family – pg. 4
Survey Shows
Moderating
Grocery Prices
– pg 8
Historic Logging
Exhibit On Display
At Coeur d’ Alene
Museum – pg. 10
The Ag Agenda
Balancing
the Budget:
Step-By-Step
Recommendations
By Bob Stallman
President American Farm
Bureau Federation
The United States is the
biggest debtor nation in
the world. Unsatisfied with
this situation and how our
government is handling
our economy, the American Farm Bureau Board
of Directors last October
appointed a Federal Deficit
Task Force to study the
deficit and recommend
steps that might bring it under control.
The task force has some pretty tough
recommendations for Farm Bureau
members to consider as they formulate
policy options for 2010.
Former Senator Phil Gramm once said
“Balancing the budget is like going to
heaven. Everybody wants to do it, but
nobody wants to do what you have to
do to get there.” My view is that the nation’s economy is in pretty bad shape
and unless we take action, our grandchildren will inherit a bigger financial
mess than we have now.
See STALLMAN, page 6
The President’s Desk
The use of social networks
like Facebook, MySpace
and Twitter has rapidly
evolved from mere tools
used to make new friends
or connect us with people
from our pasts, into powerful and influential information sharing platforms.
Share Your
Views on a
Social Network
By Frank Priestley
President Idaho Farm
Bureau Federation
This is an important trend
for agriculture to keep
abreast of because individuals and organizations are using these
global Internet platforms to push their
causes and are reaching millions of con-
sumers with messages that often portray
agriculture in a negative way. However,
one of the major differences between
social networking and traditional information dispersal like newspapers, television, magazines and radio, is that we
too can use these tools to tell agriculture’s story. And agriculture has a good
story to tell. We just need our members
to get involved and help.
Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, Twitter,
and YouTube are the most popular social
networking platforms. Facebook is used
by 78 percent of online house
See PRIESTLEY, page 6
Inside Farm Bureau
Health Care
- A Rural
Issue and an
American Issue
By Rick Keller
CEO Idaho Farm
Bureau Federation
2
Congress is fast tracking
health care reform at a
rapid pace. There appears
to be more interest in completing a bill, any bill, no
matter the consequences,
than passing meaningful
health care reform. Caution has been thrown to the
wind by elected officials
in their attempt to gratify
political favoritism at the
expense of rural Idaho and America.
Even its own Congressional Budget Of-
Idaho Farm Bureau Quarterly / Summer 2009
fice has told Congress that the proposed
legislation will significantly expand federal responsibility for health care costs,
fail to contain medical costs, worsen the
problem of rapidly escalating medical
spending, and still leave unknown millions of individuals uninsured.
Health care reform is needed, but it
must be meaningful health care reform.
Farm Bureau supports health care reform that improves and builds on our
current health care delivery system. We
See KELLER, page 7
Contents
Volume 9, Issue 3
IFBF OFFICERS
President . ................................. Frank Priestley, Franklin
Vice President .........................Carl Montgomery, Eden
Executive Vice President .............................. Rick Keller
Features
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Bryan Searle ............................................................Shelley
Albert Johnson ............................................Georgetown
Scott Bird .......................................................... Pocatello
Mark Trupp ............................................................. Driggs
Dean Schwendiman ........................................... Newdale
Danny Ferguson ........................................................Rigby
Gerald Marchant .................................................. Oakley
Rick Pearson ................................................... Hagerman
Mike Garner.............................................................. Declo
Terry Jones ........................................................... Emmett
Curt Krantz ............................................................ Parma
Mike McEvoy..................................................... Middleton
Marjorie French .............................................. Princeton
Bob Callihan . ...................................................... Potlatch
Louis Kins ........................................................... Kootenai
Carol Guthrie ......................................................... Inkom
Chris Dalley ...................................................... Blackfoot
Caribou County farm
family finds success
marketing grass-fed meat
IDAHO FARM BUREAU QUARTERLY
USPS #022-899, is published quarterly by the
IDAHO FARM BUREAU FEDERATION,
275 Tierra Vista Drive, Pocatello, ID 83201.
Page 18
Page 4
Insurance Matters: Survey
shows texting while driving
more dangerous than drinking
Market Basket survey shows
moderating grocery prices
Page 8
STAFF
Dir. of Admin. Services ....................... Nancy Shiozawa
Dir. of Member Services ................................... Ray Poe
Dir. of Commodities ............................ Gary Fuhriman
Commodity Assistant ................................. Peggy Pratt
Membership Assistant .............................. Peggy Moore
Market Information Assistant ................ Dixie Ashton
Dist. I Regional Manager ........................ Kendall Keller
Dist. II Regional Manager .................... Dennis Brower
Dist. III Regional Manager .................. Charles Garner
Dist. IV Regional Manager ................... Russ Hendricks
Dist.V Regional Manager ...................... Bob Smathers
Dir. of Governmental Affairs ....................... Kent Lauer
Asst. Dir. of Governmental Affairs ... Dennis Tanikuni
Range/Livestock Specialist..........................Wally Butler
Director of Public Relations ............. John Thompson
Video Services Manager ............................ Steve Ritter
Broadcast Services Manager .................... Jake Putnam
Office Manager, Boise ............................ Shawna Yasuda
Member Services Manager ........................ Joel Benson
Printed by: Owyhee Publishing, Homedale, ID
Learn all about the Idaho
Firewise Program
Historic logging exhibit on
display at Coeur d’ Alene
museum
Page 10
Milk prices drop; dairy industry continues to struggle
Remembering Apollo 11;
Interview with Buzz Aldrin
Page 14
Page 20
Page 37
Phosphate mining critical to
Southeast Idaho economy
Page 38
DEPARTMENTS
POSTMASTER send changes of address to:
IDAHO FARM BUREAU QUARTERLY
P.O. Box 4848, Pocatello, ID 83205-4848.
Periodicals postage paid at Pocatello, ID
and additional mailing offices.
Subscription: $4 a year included in Farm Bureau dues.
ADVERTISING CONTACT:
Idaho Farm Bureau Federation
PHONE (208) 239-4279 • FAX (208) 232-3616
E-MAIL: [email protected]
www.idahofb.org
Cover: A pair of grass fed bovines eye the high
mountain grasses near Soda Springs. In winter they
are fed a variety of delicious hay including alfalfa,
sainfoin - a highly nutritious, Eurasian legume - and
grass mixtures.
The Ag Agenda: Bob Stallman............................................................. 2
The President’s Desk: Frank Priestley.............................................. 2
Inside Farm Bureau: Rick Keller......................................................... 2
County Happenings............................................................................ 13
Word Search........................................................................................ 17
Insurance Matters............................................................................... 20
Gardening Column............................................................................. 30
AFBF News...............................................................................34-36, 41
Classifieds ............................................................................................ 42
Photo by R. Hart Evans
Idaho Farm Bureau Quarterly / SUMMER 2009
3
The Lau Family farm, north of Soda Springs, has found recent success in the direct marketing of grass-fed meats at local farmers markets and specialty
stores throughout southeastern Idaho and northern Utah.
Direct Marketing Opens Doors For Innovative Ranch Family
Article and Photos By R. Hart Evans
It wasn’t part of their long-term plan, but
for Jon and Lori Anne Lau, the media
magnifying glass American agriculture
has come under in recent years, created an
opportunity.
About five years ago the Laus made a
paradigm switch. They put their sheep
and cattle out on pasture and started direct marketing. As it turned out, this leap
of faith was a fortuitous feat of clairvoyance as their family farm just north of Soda
Springs has expanded and taken advantage
of an upswing in consumer awareness. Today, grass-fed beef and lamb raised at Lau
Family Farm is sold throughout southeast4
ern Idaho and Northern Utah.
A growing group of consumers demanding to know where their food comes from,
coupled with the recent release of films and
books such as Food, Inc., Fast Food Nation,
and the Omnivore’s Dilemma are helping
products like grass-fed meats gain popularity.
For more than 120 years, five generations
of Laus have produced wholesale, or commodity, beef and lamb in Caribou County.
But, about five years ago, back before the
media spotlight began to glare on American food production, during a time when
most folks didn’t give a second thought
Idaho Farm Bureau Quarterly /SUMMER 2009
about where food comes from, the Laus
came to the stunning conclusion that they
needed to find a better way to make their
ranch more profitable. Ironically, one of the
inspirations for the family’s move to direct
marketing grass-fed meat was Virginia author and farmer Joel Salatin, who is prominently featured in the movie Food Inc.
Salatin, whose speeches and books Lori
Anne credits with providing a boost of
much-needed confidence in direct marketing, claims the industrialization of agriculture has created cheap and flavorless food
produced under nightmarish conditions.
And perhaps more importantly, at least for
the Laus, it’s his belief that consumers are
increasingly aware of this and willing to
pay more for quality food grown locally.
Salatin’s philosophy, that “we are in the
redemption business: healing the land,
healing the food, healing the economy, and
healing the culture,” aptly mirrors his belief that small-scale farming should be humane, healthy, diverse and profitable – as
well as centered on family life.
He has described himself as a “Christianlibertarian-environmentalist-lunatic farmer,” who speaks of his farming as his “ministry,” and that buying grass-fed meats
qualifies as an act of social, environmental,
nutritional, and political redemption.
Salatin, and others like him, see an industry
full of high-calorie, sugar-laden processed
foods that travel an average of about 1,500
miles to get to your grocery store. They are
highly critical of large-scale farms where
animals are said to be raised under inhumane conditions that are also dangerous for
workers and contribute to global warming.
Not to mention all of the cancers, autism
and neurological disorders associated with
the use of pesticides, especially amongst
farm workers and their communities.
“There’s always something that needs to be done, but only so many hours in a day“ quips John Lau as he
fine tunes a water valve in a stock tank on their family ranch of five generations north of Soda Springs.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention, for instance, estimates that 76 million Americans are sickened, 325,000 are
hospitalized and 5,000 die each year from
food-borne illnesses.
Critics, however, counter that food products of this nature are too expensive and
won’t work on a large enough scale to feed
a hungry nation. And some economists
claim that when it comes to farming and
transportation, economies of scale are factors to be reckoned with. Trains and boats,
for example, are efficient ways to move
food; whereas trucks, especially over short
distances, are not.
Others say that while it is all too easy
to criticize the entire conventional
food system, it overlooks the fact
that there are plenty of conventional
farms that use very small amounts
of artificial pesticides and fungicides
and fertilizers.
Meanwhile, with all of this discussion, be it good or bad for American
agriculture, consumers are starting to
place a greater value on the variety
and freshness that local farms offer.
The significant rise in the popularity
of farmer’s markets is an indication of
this trend.
For the Lau Family Farm, however,
it is simply a matter of resources and
getting the most out of what they have
available to them.
Livestock on the Lau Family Farm are herded to greener pastures by members of the Lau Family.
Their farm land, for example, provides an environment where the
animals are able to spend their lives
See LAU FAMILY p. 9
5
Stallman
Continued from page 2
Know-How & Optimism
The task force is made up of eight committee members and one state Farm Bureau
president. Four of the members are what I
like to refer to as “chronologically experienced,” while the other four are young
farmers and ranchers. Iowa Farm Bureau
President Craig Lang chaired the task force.
The demographics of the committee allow
for knowledge and know-how that only
comes with years of experience as a farm
operator to be coupled with the optimistic
perspectives of younger farmers and how
they want to shape their economic futures.
Tough Times, Tough Measures
According to Chairman Lang, the group
Preistley
holds, followed by MySpace (42 percent),
LinkedIn (17 percent) and Twitter (10
percent). As you can see by these percentages, social networks are not only changing the way people communicate with one
another, they are also shaping opinions
and influencing trends.
“Social media mechanisms offer great opportunities for businesses to communicate
directly with their customers,” said Chuck
Zimmerman, co-owner of ZimmComm
New Media. “These platforms are easily
searchable, inexpensive investments that
reap big rewards through customer feedback and interaction.”
With regard to agriculture, social media
offers farmers a global platform to interact with consumers directly instead
of relying on a news reporter to do it for
them. Farmers need to take advantage
of these tools. A long list of agriculture’s
opponents, ranging from the Humane
Society of the U.S. and their efforts to
regulate agricultural practices, to PETA
and their efforts to dissuade people from
eating meat, are using social networking
to build support. Agriculture advocates,
like the American Farm Bureau, several
state Farm Bureaus and other commodity
organizations, have an active presence in
6
had to make some tough calls on policy
recommendations to get America out of its
economic hole. At the end of the day, the
nation’s revenue is not keeping pace with
our spending. We should make every effort
to reduce all federal expenditures and balance our budget or Americans will need to
start paying more taxes, the panel said.
The toll that healthcare is taking on our
budget was the biggest challenge identified by the task force. They recommended
a number of ways to reduce healthcare
spending, including implementing a centralized source to coordinate medical
records, utilizing incentives for results and
preventive care and shortening hospital
stays. The committee also recommended
the AFBF policy process consider support
for giving each citizen a voucher from the
the realm of social media. But we need
farmers, ranchers and lots of other folks
who want to have a voice in the future of
food production in this country to plug in.
Here’s how:
First, join Facebook and become a fan of
the American Farm Bureau and the Idaho
Farm Bureau pages. Here you can connect
with other Farm Bureau members and
begin to build your own list of Facebook
friends. It’s fun and interesting, and you’ll
meet up with people you haven’t seen in
years. Next create your own personal Facebook page and become an active voice
for agriculture. You can recommend and
comment on agriculture related news coverage and share photographs, video and
personal experiences. It’s also easy and
free to start a personal account on Twitter.com. Once you have joined, search for
“FarmBureau” and people you know by
name. From there you can follow them to
receive and share the latest information.
Another aspect of social networking that
we find particularly fascinating is the way
it can help connect farmers and ranchers
with consumers. We have seen firsthand
evidence that since the Local Food movement began, many consumers are becoming more in touch with where their food
comes from, who produces it, and how
it’s produced. So let’s assume a consumer
in Boise is interested in buying a half of
federal government to purchase a barebones, private health insurance policy.
After looking at the healthcare issue, the
committee determined Social Security is
an easier problem to fix. Although it has its
political challenges, it is fixable, says Lang.
The task force recommended the program
should be self-financing, which can only be
achieved by raising the normal retirement
age and indexing it to longevity, which will
lower benefits, or increase revenue to the
trust fund by removing the limit on taxable
earnings.
While our country does face some big obstacles, if we pull together and do what is
best for the nation, sacrificing in the shortterm, we can build a stronger financial
future for our grandchildren.
beef, a hog or a lamb, but doesn’t know
any beef, lamb or hog producers. From the
privacy of her own home, she could go online, join Facebook, find a producer, learn
about the operation, communicate with
the producer and arrange the purchase of a
side of fresh, locally produced meat.
You may be thinking this illustration is
no different than searching for a website.
However, if we can make the assumption that we have created one satisfied
consumer of local meat, and one satisfied
producer of local meat, we can begin to
illustrate the power of social networking.
Next, satisfied consumer, who now has
115 Facebook friends, makes a Facebook
post endorsing the quality and price of
satisfied producer’s beef. In turn, satisfied
producer, who has 38 Facebook friends,
makes a post endorsing this method of
selling beef locally. If we assume that
satisfied consumer’s friends are like her
with similar tastes and interests and the
same goes for satisfied producer’s friends,
we can assume that with this minimal effort we have created a minimum of 153
potential client / customer relationships.
In addition, if satisfied consumer’s Facebook friends all have an average of 30
friends, and satisfied producer’s Facebook
friends all have an average of 30 Facebook
friends, it’s easy to see how fast a social
network can snowball.
KELLER
that heath care is primarily, the responsibility of individuals and support efforts to
provide all Americans with access to quality and affordable health care. We support
the promotion of personal wellness, fitness and preventative care as basic health
goals. We oppose compulsory national
health insurance and any national health
plan and favor instead tax incentives and
market reforms that will expand health
coverage. Farm Bureau supports direct
government financial assistance for those
unable to pay for their own health care.
Farm Bureau believes that any health care
reform must address the disparities that
exist between rural and non-rural communities. There continues to be a critical shortage of health care facilities and
qualified health care professionals in rural
areas. Farm Bureau believes that Health
Information Technology (HIT) has the
capacity to transform our nation’s health
care delivery system into a higher quality
more efficient system. Farm Bureau supports government programs and incentives
that encourage health care professionals to
practice in areas without adequate medical
care, many of which are in rural America.
Health care reform must not only address
access but also cost. Farming and ranching businesses operate on tight profit
margins and are cyclical, with unprofitable years nearly as common as profitable
ones. Health insurance costs are an ongoing and significant expense for farmers
and ranchers and for this reason we oppose compulsory health insurance in the
form of an individual coverage mandate.
A high proportion of farmers and ranchers are self-employed individuals, and
as such purchase their own health insurance. We are concerned that prescribing
national minimum benefit requirement
will increase the price of insurance. Farm
Bureau supports tax incentives that help
individuals pay for health care and afford
health insurance for their families. We
recommend continuation of tax deduction
for health insurance premiums paid by
the self-employed. We support eliminating the 7.5 percent adjusted gross income
threshold so that all medical expenses are
deductible and expanding tax incentives
for health savings accounts (HSAs).
Farm Bureau supports market reforms that
create a health insurance “exchange” to
make it easier for individuals and employers to compare and purchase insurance
products. Farm Bureau believes that an
exchange will increase the availability,
quality and affordability of health care
without the creation of a public insurance
option.
Farm Bureau is concerned about the proposal to use a sugar-sweetened beverage
excise tax to fund healthcare reform. We
oppose taxes on any agricultural commodity to fund health care programs. The
obesity problem in this country is rooted
in many factors, including a lack of exercise and poor nutrition education. Taxing
sugar-sweetened beverages is an over-simplified attempt to address a health issue
that goes far beyond consumption.
During this August Congressional recess,
contact your members of Congress and
express your concern regarding the direction they are taking on health-care reform.
Let them know Idaho needs meaningful
reform. There are answers to this issue,
but what Congress is focusing on currently is not the one.
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7
Marketbasket Survey
Nationwide, Food Prices Trending Down
WASHINGTON, D.C —Retail food prices at the supermarket decreased slightly for
the third consecutive quarter, according
to the latest American Farm Bureau Federation Marketbasket Survey. The informal
survey shows the total cost of 16 food items
that can be used to prepare a meal was
$46.29, down about 2 percent or $1.12 from
the first quarter of 2009. Of the 16 items
surveyed, 10 decreased, five increased and
one remained the same in average price
compared to the prior quarter.
Russet potatoes, boneless chicken breasts,
eggs, sliced deli ham and whole milk declined the most in price and together account for most of the decrease in average
price of the overall marketbasket. Russet
potatoes dropped 29 cents to $2.76 for a
5-pound bag; chicken breasts dropped 28
cents to $3.10 per pound; eggs decreased
16 cents to $1.34 per dozen; sliced deli ham
and whole milk dropped 14 cents to $4.80
per pound and $3.01 per gallon, respectively.
Other items that decreased in price were:
ground chuck, down 12 cents to $2.82 per
8
pound; sirloin tip roast, down 11 cents to
$3.88 per pound; flour, down 9 cents to
$2.42 for a 5-pound bag; bacon, down 7
cents to $3.19 per pound; and toasted oat
cereal, down 5 cents to $2.86 for a 9-oz.
box. “The quarter-to-quarter price decline reported by our volunteer shoppers indicates
that consumers are seeing some relief at the
grocery store. Even more significant is that
average retail prices for eggs, milk, chicken
breasts and bacon for the second quarter of
2009 are significantly lower than one year
ago,” said AFBF Economist Jim Sartwelle.
Overall, the average price for the marketbasket of foods declined $3.10 or about 6
percent over a year’s time. Retail egg prices dropped 26 percent, milk decreased 22
percent, chicken declined 19 percent and
bacon was 11 percent lower compared to
a year ago.
“The foods that declined the most in retail price are among the least-processed
items in our marketbasket. When wholesale prices paid to producers for minimally
pro ce sse d
foods such
as these decrease drastically, as
has been the
case over
the past few
months,
consumers
typically
benefit fairly quickly
from retail
price
reductions
in the grocer’s case,”
S a r t we l l e
said.
Several items went up slightly in price compared to the prior quarter: bagged salad, up
13 cents to $2.75 for a 1-pound bag; shredded cheddar cheese, up 7 cents to $4.31 for
one pound; apples, up 6 cents to $1.41 per
pound; vegetable oil, up 6 cents to $2.85
for a 32-oz. bottle; and orange juice, up 2
cents to $3.02 for a half-gallon. A 20-oz.
loaf of white bread remained the same in
price, $1.77.
AFBF’s second quarter marketbasket survey tracks closely with the federal government’s May 2009 Consumer Price Index
report for all food, which showed a slight
decline (-0.2 percent) for the fourth consecutive month.
As retail grocery prices have increased
gradually over time, the share of the average food dollar that America’s farm and
ranch families receive has dropped.
“Starting in the mid-1970s, farmers received about one-third of consumer retail
food expenditures for food eaten at home
and away from home, on average. That figure has decreased steadily over time and is
now just 19 percent, according to Agriculture Department statistics,” Sartwelle said.
Using the “food at home and away from
home” percentage across-the-board, the
farmer’s share of this quarter’s $46.29 marketbasket would be $8.80.
AFBF, the nation’s largest general farm
organization, has been conducting the informal quarterly marketbasket survey of
retail food price trends since 1989. The mix
of foods in the marketbasket was updated
during the first quarter of 2008.
According to USDA, Americans spend just
under 10 percent of their disposable annual
income on food, the lowest average of any
country in the world. A total of 82 shoppers
in 33 states participated in the latest survey,
conducted in May.
Tracking Milk and Egg Trends
For the second quarter of 2009, shoppers reported the average price for a half-gallon of regular whole milk was $1.92, down 24
cents from the prior quarter. The average price for one gallon of regular whole milk was $3.01, down 14 cents. Comparing per-quart
prices, the retail price for whole milk sold in gallon containers was about 25 percent lower compared to half-gallon containers, a
typical volume discount long employed by retailers.
The average price for a half-gallon of rBST-free milk was $3.18, down 1 cent from the last quarter and about 65
percent higher than the reported retail price for a half-gallon of regular milk ($1.92).
The average price for a half-gallon of organic milk was $3.63, down 8 cents compared to the first quarter and
approximately 90 percent higher than the reported retail price for a half-gallon of regular milk ($1.92).
Compared to a year ago (second quarter of 2008), the retail price for regular milk in gallon containers
decreased by 22 percent while regular milk in half-gallon containers decreased 20 percent. The average
retail price for rBST-free milk dropped about 5 percent in a year’s time. The average retail price for
organic milk in half-gallon containers went up and down slightly throughout the year, rising 1
percent in the second quarter of 2009 compared to a year ago.
For the second quarter of 2009, the average price for one dozen
regular eggs was $1.34. The average price for “cage-free”
eggs was $3.00 per dozen, around 95 percent more per
dozen than regular eggs.
Regular eggs and “cage-free” eggs dropped in retail price
by 26 percent and 1.5 percent, respectively, between the second quarter of 2008 and the second quarter of 2009.
LAU FAMILY
grazing in low-stress, un-crowded situations. The underlying philosophy is to just
grow grass and let the livestock do most of
the work. These methods result in less time
spent driving trucks and tractors to harvest
crops, less diesel fuel purchased and fewer
hours spent welding, fixing and maintaining farm equipment. Because the animals
are not confined for long periods, there
is no need to move manure, an additional
savings.
Direct marketing grass-fed meat is easy to
promote because at least by some consumers it’s viewed as healthy, flavorful and socially beneficial. Others just think it tastes
better than what they get at the grocery
store. Some consumers support the idea
that these methods help small farms thrive
in an ever more challenging food system.
In addition, direct marketing removes the
middleman, allowing farmers to receive a
living wage for their efforts.
Some research shows that grass-fed meats
are also leaner and more nutritious than the
corn-fed variety, providing elevated levels
of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been
linked to lower blood pressure and conjugated linoleic acid, a fat that shows promise as a cancer-fighter, as well as vitamin
E and beta-carotene. The Laus also adhere
to a high standard when it comes to the use
of hormones and antibiotics. Any cattle or
sheep that require medication won’t be sold
as grass-fed animals.
Perhaps the highest reward for the Laus,
however, is the sense of pride they have in
their product. “We believe in it,” says Lori
Anne. “People come up to us at the markets and tell us how they love our product,
it really buoys you up,” she said, adding,
“It feels great to be able to provide people
what they want.”
But the strongest common thread with all
their customers, says Lori Anne, is their
desire to see where the product comes
from. “They ask questions about it; they really do care about the animals and how our
operation is run and want to be confident
about where it comes from,” she says.
“Ultimately,” says Lori Anne, “we just
want to be able to feed enough people to
feed ourselves.”
Today, the Laus’ grass-fed beef and lamb
is sold as individual cuts, bundles of cuts
for grilling or roasting, and as whole, half,
or quarter carcasses. The animals are processed at USDA-inspected plants, and the
meat is dry aged to promote tenderness and
enhanced flavor. It is then vacuum-packed
and frozen to prevent loss of quality. For
more information on the Internet:
http://www.laufamilyfarm.com
9
Harry and Mary Winkler of Pinehurst worked side by side in the North Idaho woods for 30 years. The couple is featured in a historical logging exhibit
now on display in Coeur d’ Alene.
Museum of North Idaho: Observing
North Idaho’s Forest Dynamics
Article and Photos by Renée E.
D’Aoust
“We were particular loggers, see,”
Mary Winkler says to me. “I ran what
10
was known as an Idaho Jammer, and
I called her ‘Leapin’ Lena.’ You could
skid the logs. You could also load
with them. I ran the Jammer next to
my husband for thirty years.”
We are standing inside the Museum
of North Idaho, and I had the good
fortune to meet — simply by chance
— one of the lady loggers highlighted
in the Museum’s 2009 feature exhibit
on the timber industry. You can visit
Observing North Idaho’s Forest Dynamics, a special and worthwhile exhibit, until the end of October 2009.
“I always wanted people to know I was
a lady,” continued Mrs. Winkler. She
wore a white blouse in the woods to
be sure there was no confusion. Mrs.
Winkler is indeed a lady; she holds
her petite frame with grace and class.
Her beautiful white hair is brushed
simply away from her face, and she
wears a white blouse even now, with
stitched flowers on the front. “I only
named the “Radio Magic Paul Bunyan” caught on, and the Winklers had
abundant orders to fill. Loggers could
skid up to 900 logs with one charge on
the nickel-cadmium battery.
The Winklers tell us many tales of
their time in the woods, and as happens in North Idaho, conversation
turns naturally to blister rust and pine
beetles. Mr. Winkler points out how
similar trees are to people: “Trees just
like people. Some short. Some tall.
Some die young. Some die old.”
Idaho’s permanent collection suggests that “logging is fundamentally
a problem of transportation — getting the logs from the stump to the
mill.” Transportation is an integral
part of the Museum of North Idaho
with extensive information on the old
steam ships that used to run on these
northern lakes. As part of the forest
focus, be sure to see the preserved
Mullan Tree stump. The Mullan Tree
stood along the famous Mullan Road,
which ran from Fort Benton to Fort
Walla Walla.
It’s fine wisdom to remember when
Don’t miss the 2009 feature exhibit
you visit the Museum of North Idaho.
— Observing North Idaho’s Forest
The photoDynamics. Located near City Park in
graphs
of
Coeur d’Alene, the Museum of North
“I ran what was known as an Idaho Jammer,
logging in
Idaho is open from April 1 to October
Idaho
and I called her ‘Leapin’ Lena.’ You could skid North
31, Tuesday to Saturday from 11a.m.
show
big
to 5p.m. (The facility’s office and lithe logs. You could also load with them. I ran
trees
and
brary are open year round.) The 2010
deep labor,
the Jammer next to my husband for thirty
feature exhibit will focus on Scandiwith explannavians in the Coeur d’Alene Region,
years.”
atory secand the Museum is looking for voluntions such
teers and donations for that exhibit.
as “Steam
For more information, please visit
sat on that Jumper. My husband did Donkeys,” “Logging Before Roads,”
the web-site, which has information
all the work,” she said.
and “Skidding with Animals.” As one
about membership plus superb online
description points out: “Much of railHarry Winkler has the look of a man
coverage of the historical logging exroad land [in North Idaho] was sold to
who spent his life in the woods. A lithibit: www.museumni.org.
timber companies as they were eager
tle crocked up in the shoulders, wearto harvest the largest stand of Western For a compelling first-hand account
ing suspenders still, and with that foWhite Pine in the world.” There is a of logging in North Idaho, including
cus you find in people who have spent
reason the Western White Pine is our reprinted news coverage of the local
their lives working in the forest. It’s
state tree. The pictures of white pine activities of the USFS, I recommend
the stillness of trees. The quiet inside
that populated our northern woods Harry and Mary Winkler’s book U.S.
a man comes through. Mr. Winkler
will stun you with their majesty while Forest Service at the Crossroads. To
starts describing a product he develthe skill of the men standing on logs mail order, please contact: Winkler’s
oped to my fiancé; it’s called “Winfloating on Lake Coeur d’Alene will Books, P.O. Box 632, Pinehurst, ID
kler’s Little Logger,” and it is a radio
make you glad to be on solid land. The 83850-0632. Phone: (208) 682-2459.
system Winkler developed so a crew
men were
didn’t have to rely on the whistle syscalled “rivtem.
er
pigs”
“Much of railroad land [in North Idaho] was
“I was laughed out of every logging and used
camp,” Winkler says, describing how the lake to sold to timber companies as they were eahe first tried to market the radio. The float logs
ger to harvest the largest stand of Western
only person who didn’t laugh was a to the mill.
White Pine in the world.” There is a reason
forester with the United States ForThe Muest Service. “People don’t take good
seum of the Western White Pine is our state tree.
to changes,” Mr. Winkler points out.
N o r t h
Eventually, the system they nick-
11
Farm Bureau Members Receive
Even Bigger Discounts Now
Available On Office Depot
Program only applies to online purchases!
Save an average of
20%
off retail price on
all supplies.
Step 1: Simply go to www.idahofb.org and click on “member benefits”.
Step 2: Click on Office Depot and push the Discount Portal Button.
Step 3: Create a new account for yourself, and enjoy corporate online discount pricing!
Free shipping (with a minimum $50 purchase). Program only applies to online purchases.
12
Farm Bureau Members Pay
Less For Choice Hotels!
A $40 room will be closer to
$32
$48
The Twin Falls County Farm Bureau recently held a drawing
for summer cookout items including apron, cookbook, plates,
sun block, bug spray, ketchup, mustard, barbecue sauce and
several other items. A drawing was held at both county offices. Winners were Miriam Garrison, (Above) at the Twin
Falls South Office, and Jo Borup (Above, Right) at the Buhl
office.
$72
1.800.258.2847
Farm Bureau Discount Code
00800286
advanced reservations required
13
Above: Buzz Aldrin salutes the flag.
Left: Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin sits at the controls of the Lunar Module on the way to
the moon, July 1969,
photos courtesy of NASA.
Astronaut Remembers Historic Moon Landing
Editor’s Note: July 20 marked the
40th anniversary of America’s first
moon landing. At the 30th anniversary of the historic event, Astronaut Buzz Aldrin was in Hailey
acting as grand Marshall in a parade. Idaho Farm Bureau Reporter
Jake Putnam was working for
KTVB Television in Boise at the
time and had the opportunity to sit
down with Aldrin for an interview.
A short story about Aldrin being
the grand Marshall in the Hailey
parade was broadcast on KTVB,
but the bulk of the interview was
never used – until now.
14
By Jake Putnam
I was on assignment for KTVB when I had the
chance to interview Lunar Module Pilot Buzz
Aldrin a decade ago in Hailey. Aldrin was
grand Marshall of the Parade that summer. I
was struck by the shock of gray hair, the intense
blue eyes and youthfulness of the astronaut.
This American icon was accommodating and
available to everyone signing every autograph
with glee and I found him to be an unforgettable
character.
Aldrin graduated from West Point and MI. He
flew 66 combat missions in Korea and shot
down two MiG-15’s. Aldrin was selected as part
of the Third group of NASA astronauts in Oc-
tober 1963.
Last month Aldrin’s ‘Magnificent Desolation’
was released giving readers an insightful behind- the- scenes look at the moon shot and the
rough years afterwards…
Jake Putnam: from Astronaut to writer, you
have a lot to say. Is this a good forum for you?
“I’m devoted to our future in space and to try
and educate the public a bit more about the reality of space. I think entertainment and fantasy
are fine, but we have to live in a world of reality. I’m trying to excite people to what we really
could be doing in space, now and in the future.
I think in a couple of hundred of years people
of the earth will be going to the stars yet
someone will be sitting back and watching.
Somebody’s going to settle Mars while
someone will sit back and watch. Someone
will return to the Moon and someone will
sit back and watch. I don’t want America
to sit back and watch. I think we should be
leaders in the world in doing
these things in the future.
(laughs). The LEM was in very capable
hands. Neil was probably the best qualified
test pilot in the whole astronaut program
because of his experience with the X-15.
He even had to bail out of one of the lunar
landing training vehicles.
So much of our daily lives are
bombarded by gratification,
you know the ‘what’s in it for
me?’ mentality. You hear it all
the time and young people of
today are being robbed of their
future by people that are so
obsessed with turning a quick
profit.
Putnam: Can you describe your first
glance of the earth after leaving the Lunar
Module?
We had to look up because it was 24-degrees from straight up; but to look up into
that black sky with the brilliance of the sun,
there were no stars because of
the brightness, and then to see
the earth. It’s four times bigger than the moon appears
to us, but it’s still very small
looking. You see the blue, the
white clouds, and a touch of
brown. You know against that
backdrop, all I can say is that
it’s very unique.
Putnam: While on the moon
you took one of the most famous photographs of all time- Putnam: Tell us about the
early flights of the Lunar Module. Being the first to land it
had to be daunting, there was
no margin for error with the
world watching-The LEM had never been
landed on another object. It Buzz Aldrin’s famous photo of his footprint on the Moon,
had been flown mentally, con- photo courtesty of NASA.
ceptually by many engineers,
for years by test pilots in trainPutnam: What were your thoughts when
ing and in missions leading up to that so it
stepping onto the moon? What ran through
wasn’t the first time we were doing things.
your mind?
But the things we were doing, making that
power decent, locking the landing radar on I was thinking what was coming up next, to
the surface of the moon, that was the first make sure we were on task. We didn’t have
time and it confused the computer because a heads-up display checklist on our visor,
it got overloaded and we had to walk our like today. To be on the moon is enough
way through that situation. It also diverted to shake you up and affect your train of
our attention from looking at where pre- thought. So I had to remember what to do
cisely we were landing. We came close next. First and foremost was to make sure
to some rocks and things that Neil didn’t that when we came back that we could say
like. He was directing the approach, so he that we did the very best that we could at
diverted over the rocks that used up a bit a very historical moment. That‘s a lot of
more fuel, so we were pretty tight when we pressure and you have to focus all your atlanded leaving maybe 15-seconds of fuel.
tention on the task at hand. I couldn’t help
putting together some words, ironic words
Putnam: Were you flying or navigating at
that established the contrasts of desolation
that point?
and the magnificence of being here, so the
It was Neil at the controls and it was very words I uttered back to mission control,
much a seniority assignment. The second ‘magnificent desolation’ were extemporagroup astronauts were not about to let us in neous.
third group put our hands on the controls
Well, Buzz Aldrin is a famous subject of photography,
(laughs) Neil was a pretty
good photographer, and it
just ended up that he had the
camera a good bit of the time
while we were taking historical pictures. When we were
out there Neil said ‘Hold it,
Buzz’, so I stopped and turned around, and
then he took that famous photo of me and
him in the ‘Visor’ photo. I like this photo
because it captures the solitary human figure against the Moon’s horizon, but I had
my chance to document some of things on
the surface.
Putnam: That said, you took the famous
photo of the footprint on the moon.
I did, it was very spontaneous. I was marveling so much at how precise the dust was.
It was like talcum powder. When I formed
that footprint, I thought that it had to be recorded, and then it looked very lonesome
so I put my foot down and recovered the
footprint. A second later I moved my foot
away from the print to take another photo
of both.
See BUZZ ALDRIN p.29
15
Focus on Agriculture
Climate Bill Long-Term Impacts
Should be Brought to Light
By Tracy Taylor Grondine
Mainstream media and critics have recently struck a nerve with not only farmers and
ranchers, but many people who serve and
benefit from agriculture’s productivity. In
a push to pass climate change legislation,
the agriculture industry has been painted
as greedy and selfish. Some journalists
have even reverted to grade-school antics
of name-calling and insults.
But, there is a legitimate reason the American Farm Bureau Federation and several
other agricultural organizations are opposed to the climate legislation, already
passed in the House and now pending in
the Senate. Long-term costs of the bill will
be substantial not only to agriculture, but
the overall economy and will certainly hurt
American families.
Most media outlets are only focused on the
front-end effects of the climate bill, also
known as Waxman-Markey after its sponsors Reps. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) and
Edward Markey (D-Mass.). The energy
cost increases generated by the bill will cut
16
farm income by around 5 percent a year by
2020. This economic loss on top of what
are already razor-thin margins that many
farmers and ranchers are living on today
will hurt the industry. But, the effect on
agriculture will be more crippling at the
back-end of the deal, around 2050.
In 2020, carbon reductions will only be
starting and the industry will be receiving
significant carbon credit giveaways. But
by 2050, the 17 percent cut in agriculture
emissions from 2005 levels is estimated to
rise to 82 percent and there will be no more
credit giveaways. So, by 2050 that 5 percent hit will grow to something more like a
15 percent reduction in farm income.
Further, in 2020 the climate bill will cost
each American family $175 per year out of
pocket (of which $115 will be sent oversees
for international offsets and other foreign
programs). The Congressional Budget Office estimates the gross family cost of the
program before all the giveaways will run
$870 per year with a carbon allowance of
$28 per year. By 2050, no one knows what
it will cost families, but there will be no
giveaways and the carbon allowance will
rise to nearly $90 per year.
Like any piece of legislation, the devil is in
the details, and there are a lot of devils in
the Waxman-Markey climate bill. Unfortunately, most media outlets are only focusing on the short-term ramifications of the
legislation and not the total costs at full implementation. We can’t just highlight costs
in the first 10 years, we must look further
down the road to how this legislation will
impact American households, farms and
ranches, and the overall U.S. economy.
Farmers want to be a part of the climate
change solution, but such a solution should
not jeopardize their economic sustainability in the process, nor should it pave the
way for additional economic burdens on
American families.
Tracy Taylor Grondine is director of media
relations for the American Farm Bureau
Federation.
Word Search: Rivers in Idaho
! BEAR
DEADWOOD
MOYIE
BIG LOST
FALL
OWYHEE
BIG WOOD
HENRYS FORK
PACK
BEAR
JARBRIDGE
BLACKFOOT
JARBRIDGE
PALOUSE
BIG LOST
KOOTENAI
BOISE BIG WOOD KOOTENAI LEMHI PAHSIMEROI
BRUNEAU
BLACKFOOT LEMHI
LITTLE PAYETTE
LOST
CLARK BOISE
LITTLE LOST LOCHSAPORTNEUF
BRUNEAU
MALADPRIEST
CLEARWATER
LOCHSA
CLARK
MOYIE
COEUR CLEARWATER
DALENE
MALAD
RAFT
OWYHEE
COEUR DALENE
DEADWOOD
FALL
HENRYS FORK
PACK
PALOUSE
PAHSIMEROI
PAYETTE
SAINT JOE
SAINT MARIES
SALMON
PORTNEUF
SELWAY
PRIEST
SNAKE
RAFT
TETON
SAINT
JOE
SAINT
MARIES
WARM
SALMON
WEISER
SELWAY
SNAKE
ANSWERS ON PAGE 41
TETON
WARM
Idaho Farm Bureau Quarterly / SUMMER 2009 17
WEISER
The Idaho Firewise Program University of Idaho Forestry
Over the years, many different organizations across Idaho have worked hard to
implement partnerships and educational
programs to raise awareness on all aspects
of fire. Whether it is taking time to work
with homeowners to assess their hazards
and risks or introducing Smokey Bear’s
prevention message to children, each time
we engage with individuals or communities we decrease the challenges and costs of
managing wildfires that affect us all.
In 2008, local, state, and federal organizations embarked on a new initiative: to establish a collaborative wildland fire education program to be called Idaho Firewise.
Our hope is that through development,
implementation, and support of existing
educational programs that we will achieve
a “firewise” culture in Idaho, one that accepts and acknowledges the roles and responsibilities of living in fire-based ecosystems.
Idaho Firewise tips for being prepared include:
Look for our new website this fall at idahofirewise.org
18
Landscape Architects
Program Area
State of Idaho
Particular audiences include:
Residents of wildland/urban interface areas
Special Interest groups (PCEI, Friends of
the Clearwater)
Service organizations (Rotary club, etc)
Funding Sources
Federal, state, and local fire fighting agencies
Bureau of Land Management, Bureau
of Indian Affairs, Idaho Department of
Lands, Department of Homeland Security,
University of Idaho Extension, USDA Forest Service.
Public land user groups
Outcomes & benefit to citizens
Realtors, Contractors ,and Developers
Insurance agencies and associations
The mission of the Idaho Firewise program
is to increase the effectiveness of state
wildland fire prevention and education
through a strong, coordinated interagency
effort. Our hope is that through the development, implementation, and support of
existing educational programs that we will
achieve a “firewise” culture in Idaho, one
that accepts and acknowledges the roles
and responsibilities of living in fire-based
ecosystems.
Master Gardeners, nursery owners and
managers
The primary goals and objectives of the
program are to:
Emergency responders and managers
Fire chiefs
Building materials retailers (Home Depot,
etc)
Planning and zoning officials
Elected officials
School teachers
Students (K-12 and University)
tion cooperatives, and decision
making personnel, as well as with
national, regional, state, tribal, and
local partners.
The outcomes and benefits of the
programs to Idaho’s citizens include:
Science-based understanding of
the role of fire in Idaho’s ecosystems and of hazard reduction methods and management techniques to
decrease wildland fire risks.
Awareness of the personal responsibility one bears when choosing
to live in a fire-based ecosystem,
especially those living in the wildland/urban interface.
Knowledge of recommended standards for protecting your home,
property and family from losses to
wildfire.
Being a member of a growing statewide “Firewise” culture.
Collaboration
Promote a strong, coordinated interagency educational approach to wildland
fire, including prevention and protection
strategies, a greater understanding of the
ecology and role that fire plays in Idaho’s
ecosystems, and illustrating the negative
impacts caused by wildland fires.
Increase citizen awareness, responsibility,
and accountability by promoting knowledgeable behaviors when using fire, using recommended standards for protecting
your home and property from wildland
fire, and increasing the understanding of
personal accountability for those living in
fire-based ecosystems.
Advance the knowledge and use of standard, science-based methods of hazard reduction treatments.
Increase the effectiveness of local wildfire
prevention programs by supporting and enhancing existing relationships with county
fire and emergency services, fire preven-
Idaho Firewise is a strong, collaborative statewide effort which currently consists of members from
University of Idaho Extension, Idaho Department of Lands, Bureau
of Land Management, USDA Forest Service, Bureau of Homeland
Security, and Bureau of Indian
Affairs. Other collaborators include the Idaho Office of the State
Fire Marshal, Idaho Association of
Fire Chiefs, the Palouse Clearwater Environmental Institute, and
the AmeriCorps program, Idaho
Resource Development Councils,
USDA Fish and Wildlife Service,
Natural Resource Conservation Service,
Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation, and the University of Idaho College
of Natural Resources.
Are these projects on your website?
Please provide URL
Idaho Firewise is in the process of developing a website, with an estimated launch
date of August 15, 2009. The URL for the
site is www.idahofirewise.org
19
Insurance Matters
Mike Myers — Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co. of Idaho
Survey: Texting While Driving is Worse Than Driving Drunk
According to a recent national survey, Idaho
mobile phone users ranked fourth in the
nation for driving while texting.
New research and more than a few fatal
accidents have proved driving while texting
(DWT) is a dangerous distraction.
According to a Vlingo Consumer Mobile Messaging Habits Report, 26 percent of its nationwide sample of mobile phone users
said they sent texts while driving. The survey also ranked the
states with the highest percentage of DWT drivers. Alarmingly,
Idaho ranked fourth. The other states in the top five were Tennessee, New Jersey, Alabama, and Oklahoma.
Another study by Car and Driver Magazine demonstrated that texting while driving is more dangerous than drunken driving. The
magazine mounted a red light on the windshield at eye level to
alert drivers when to brake, then tested how long it took to hit the
brakes when sober, when legally drunk at .08, when reading an
email, and when sending a text. While driving 70 miles per hour
on a deserted airstrip, a Car and Driver editor posted the following
results:
Unimpaired: .54 seconds to brake
Legally drunk: add 4 feet
Reading an email: add 36 feet
Sending a text: add 70 feet
Even though the headline probably got your attention, these results
were probably no surprise because many of us – 33 percent of
Idaho mobile phone users, according to the Vlingo survey – have
sent text messages from behind the wheel. And in Idaho, where
20
there are no laws against cell phone use and texting while driving,
we will probably continue to do it.
Unfortunately, it will likely take more accidents and deaths before
this attitude changes. More accidents like the teen driver who was
apparently using a cell phone to send a text message when she lost
control of her pickup on Highway 95 near Genessee. The pickup
rolled and her passenger, a 15-year-old girl from Lewiston, was
thrown through the windshield and critically injured.
Or more accidents like the texting driver who slammed into the
back of a parked Boise patrol car at 65 miles per hour last April,
sending the cruiser skidding about 200 feet down I-84. (Luckily,
the patrol car was unoccupied at the time and the text-messaging
driver did not receive life-threatening injuries.)
“Texting is such an integral component of our daily lives,” Dave
Grannan, chief executive of Vlingo said in a statement, “that the
cautionary tales about DWT danger have not stemmed the tide.
We predicted last year that this problem would get worse, and it
has since more people are texting.”
The mother of the 15-year-old girl critically injured in the Genessee accident has some advice for those of us who have become accustomed to using a cell phone behind the wheel. “Don’t use your
phone when you’re driving. Don’t text message. Pay attention to
what you’re doing.”
Peace of mind
for life
In these challenging times, ensuring financial security for you and those you care about may be more important
than ever. Life insurance can help provide that security, along with guarantees1 and peace of mind.
Money from a life insurance policy2 can help your family:
• continue paying the mortgage
• pay off outstanding debts, such as vehicle, school or business-related loans
• send a child to college or continue care for an elderly parent
• cover funeral and medical expenses or estate taxes
Visit www.fbfs.com or contact your Farm Bureau agent to review your current life insurance needs and learn
how we can help you secure your family’s financial future.
Visit www.fbfs.com to sign up for our free e-newsletter. It’s filled with useful tips to help you protect your family and save time and money.
1
The guarantees expressed are based on the claims-paying ability of Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company. 2Any loans from the cash value will reduce the amount of your insurance coverage
if the borrowed funds, plus interest, are not repaid by the time of your death. Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company/West Des Moines, IA. © 2009 FBL Financial Group, Inc. LI042 (5-09)
MAY CORPORATE LIFE AD 4-C ID_042.indd 1
4/3/2009 4:37:10 PM
21
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22
Pacific Northwest
Economic Region President
John Van Dongen addresses
state and provincial
legislators and industry
representatives during the
organization’s 19th annual
conference held in Boise.
Farm Bureau County Presidents Attend PNWER Summit
By Jake Putnam
BOISE - The annual Idaho Farm Bureau
Summer Presidents meeting had an added
international twist this year as County Presidents met with state, provincial and industry leaders from around the Northwest.
man Chris Dalley from Blackfoot. Dalley
sat in on the lively Cross Border Livestock
discussion. “It’s was interesting listening
to what the Canadians had to say and for
Montana and Washington, well they’re
pretty much in the same boat we are.”
The Pacific Northwest Economic Region
hosted its 19th annual summit at the Boise
Centre on the Grove. More than 500 state
and provincial lawmakers, Farm Bureau
county presidents, other agency officials
and business people from the United States
and Canada gathered to discuss issues including energy, agriculture, government
regulations and economic development.
All week representatives the NW Border
States and the NW Canadian provinces addressed regional priority issues including
things like energy efficiency, water policy,
invasive species, agriculture, not to mention cross border livestock issues.
PNWER has the attention and participation of agriculture and natural resource
groups because it’s the only forum for cross
border, bi-national planning and policy development involving both the public and
private sectors.
Idaho and Washington representatives say a
Homeland Security border policy driven by
terrorism threats at the U.S.-Mexico border
has impacted trade and normal operations
at the Canadian border and hurt NW communities.
“We had the opportunity to attend PNWER, and I’m glad we did,” said Idaho
Farm Bureau President Frank Priestley. “It’s
all about networking, learning and making
friends and when an issue surfaces sometimes friendships made at a conference like
this can lead to business opportunities.”
Representative George Eskridge of Dover
told the Cross Border group that the Idaho
Canadian border was open and thriving
before Homeland securities’ new rules.
“We’ve got a real intense personal and
commercial relationship, and we’re trying
to decide what to do with the Canadian border based on what we do with the Mexican
border,” he said. “But we’ve got different
problems.”
“It’ was a chance for us meet with our
counterparts across the border,” said Farm
Bureau Young Farmer and Rancher Chair-
Idaho Governor Butch Otter was warmly
received when he said he is looking to
the PNWER group to solve problems and
urged Washington and Ottawa to ‘get out of
the way.’ Otter said that the Pacific Northwest is one of the fastest growing regions in
North America and the need for bi-national,
regional advocates that have dialogue with
both the public and private sectors is important in these economic times.
John Grossenbacher of the Idaho National
Laboratory couldn’t agree more with the
Governor. He told the summit that the
northwest border region is the new “Middle
East of North America.” Grossenbacher
thinks the region has a rich potential for
energy development and will eventually
supply both nations with a combination
of wind, geothermal, biofuels, oil, coal
and uranium. The resources are there,
they will get used in the future, so let’s set
it up in a way that 50 and 100 years away,
we’re happy with the outcome,” he said.
The Pacific Northwest Economic Region is
dedicated to encouraging global economic
competitiveness while preserving a worldclass natural environment. The member
states include: Alaska, Alberta, British
Columbia, Saskatchewan, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington and the Yukon.
PNWER is recognized by both the United
States and Canada as the model for regional
and bi-national cooperation because of its
proven success.
23
It’s easier to Bury a Tradition than a Child
By Shari Kuther
Recent newspaper headlines highlight the
need to stress farm safety with parents and
children alike.
One was actually from Idaho, and the other
could just have easily been Idaho as anywhere else. Seems like any time I start to
talk about this topic with people I get the
same answer - farm kids will be farm kids.
Well, I’d like to see those “farm kids” grow
up to be farmers.
It is a harsh statement, but one that has to
be made. Kids need to be taught safety
lessons on the farm and so do adults. It’s
great fun to ride on the tractor, but it takes
less than a second for your foot to slip, the
bump to throw the child off, and you cannot react quick enough. You would not
expect the fireman to take his child into a
burning building, so why do we take our
children? Why do we continually put them
in harm’s way? Farming and ranching is a
great family-oriented lifestyle, but we need
to change our attitudes towards what is acceptable and what is not.
I find it interesting when discussing helmet
use with farm families. Very frequently I
am told, “I don’t need one, I’m only going 25-30 mph and on a dirt road.” Well,
did you know that dirt road can be just as
hard as the asphalt, and you probably stand
a better chance of less road rash from the
asphalt with no rocks. 25-30 mph vs. 55-65
mph doesn’t really matter when the “watermelon” hits the ground - either way it still
splatters. Tractors are huge and children
are no contest. Think about how much one
tire weighs in comparison to your child.
Would you put your child out in the pen
to let the bull just run full charge at him?
NO! So then why would you put your child
in danger by allowing them to ride on the
fender of the tractor?
When you hit that bump, or when they turn
just wrong and lose their grip and off they
go, that tire is going to get them right now!
It’s time for us as farmers and farm wives to
take a stand and protect each other. Moms/
wives make those kids and husbands wear
24
The Idaho Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee hosts Farm Safety Day Camps around the
state each year. In this photograph children are shown what happens to a straw man caught in a
power take-off shaft.
Photo by Steve Ritter
those helmets. Don’t puts kids on tractors where there are no seats and don’t put
adults on tractors where there are no seats.
1 seat = 1 rider. I know it’s a “tradition,”
but it’s time to bury that “tradition” and not
another child.
I encourage each and every one of you as
Farm Bureau members to become active in
this campaign and let’s see just what kind
of an impact we can make. Talk to your
county board and get activities planned for
this fall or next spring and let’s take farm
safety to a whole new level.
Make Idaho an even safer place for farm
families to grow.
Shari Kuther of Nezperce, is vice chairman of the IFBF State Women’s Leadership
Committee.
25
WIN A NEW DODGE RAM AT THE YOUNG FARMER & RANCHER COMPETITIONS
Most accolades come in the form of flimsy ribbons or cheap pieces of plastic… but the American Farm Bureau
Federation’s® Young Farmer and Rancher competitions give you the chance to win a legendary Dodge truck. Show
off your agricultural know-how at the National Convention in Seattle, WA, January 10-13, 2010, and you could win a
brand new Dodge Ram. The contest is open to all Young Farmer & Rancher members, so contact your local Farm
Bureau® for all entry details. For more information about Dodge Ram trucks, visit dodge.com or call 800-4ADODGE.
Farm Bureau is a federally registered collective membership and a registered service mark of the American Farm Bureau Federation. Dodge is a registered trademark of Chrysler LLC.
26
Farm Facts
27
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y
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28
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Buzz AldriN
Putnam: You flew combat missions in Korea, if anyone knows adrenalin, you do.
Did this adrenaline rush compare to that?
There are aspects that compare to in terms
of thrill and that’s excitement, apprehension, anxiety. The uncertainly of combat is
frightening and awe-inspiring. You have to
appreciate the unknowns and the dangers
involved in mortal combat, those things
aren’t in spaceflight. We train so much and
millions of people are watching what you
are doing in spaceflight. You don’t have
many people watching your combat mission, yet in both there’s little margin for
error.
Putnam: By today’s standards my digital
watch has more computing power than
the LEM’s onboard computers. Are you
amazed that this technology could pull off
such a complicated mission?
We shouldn’t disparage the technology that
we put together; it’s the same technology
that could drop a nuclear warhead halfway
around the world. It was that technology
that helped us chart the course to the moon.
It was that commitment that allowed us to
succeed. Later on when we decided to investigate the possibility of nullifying missiles threatening the world, the Soviets saw
that they couldn’t compete with Western
technology, especially the United States of
America. They had to alter their ways and
it was the end of the Cold War. It would
have been quite a bit different if they got to
the moon first.
Putnam: The American Flag was a big
part of the mission-We felt quite strongly in the astronaut business about the flag of the United States of
America displayed proudly on the moon.
We didn’t plan a lot ahead of time so we
had to figure out a way to attach an arm
to the back of the flag because there’s no
wind blowing up there. Something I noted
through the years worth mentioning here,
Americans seemed to be disturbed when
Apollo 11-3 Magnificent desolation, is how Aldrin described the moon. Neil Armstrong snapped this
famous photo of himself in Aldrin’s visor. NASA photo
they learned of the six flags on the moon,
most likely all were blown over by the exhaust of our engines. This is the practically
of space exploration; we’re very proud of
the flag.
29
Garden benches make a nice place
to relax, but sometimes all you need
is a chair. Truffle the hound enjoys a
Paradise Lilly from his perch atop a
garden chair.
Garden Benches
Article and Photos by Renée E.
D’Aoust
In my family, as we all continue to age
— and there is no stopping that forward
progress — we find ourselves placing
benches in strategic locations around the
home place and in the garden. We have
almost perfected what we call a no-guilt
sit. Sit back, and instead of looking at all
the work you should be doing, enjoy all
the work you have already done.
To our amazement and for our pleasure, we have a moon-garden bench, a
morning-coffee bench, a Lutyens garden
30
bench, a creek bench, two benches for our
Zen garden, several chairs plunked down
various places, and, of course, heavy
duty wooden garden benches where the
real work of resting takes place. Just this
past month, my father felled two Grandfirs that were too close to the home —
trees that were in the no-go zone of a defensible space and had been there for too
many years. Then he put a plank from
one stump to the other to make an instant
bench. The extra light around the house
is nice, and we’ve started using the bench
as a staging station for garden projects.
Homemade benches make sitting special
My mother designed a moon garden in
2006 — a luminescent collection of rocks
and white flowering shrubs and plants
— and asked my father to build her a
half-moon sitting place. Dad chose board
from one of our western red cedars. He
left as much bark on the sides as possible,
and fiber glassed the outer layer. To sit on
the half-moon bench that winds half way
round the moon garden while watching
the moon rise over the pasture is one of
those timeless pleasures of rural living.
Above: Tyler Cochran enjoys some time in the garden.
Right: Moon Garden benches.
How do you describe the light as it hits
the valley and shadows the living?
Store-bought benches work just fine
I’ve taken to watching all the sales for
benches; however, if you see a bench
for sale, go to the store directly. Twice
this past spring, I’ve been thwarted by
a neighbor getting the bench before me.
Do remember to care for your storebought benches, because I don’t know
much material that can withstand the
winter weather extremes. One bench leg
snapped clear off last spring. I had tried
to move it — just a tiny move for a slightly better view of the mountains. The bum
leg, which had otherwise seemed sturdy,
couldn’t take the stress. I guess it had just
been balancing there as if on a crutch.
My father clamped on a cobbled-together
leg, and the bench is fine; but I won’t
move it again except to take it inside next
fall! Although we’ve tried covering our
benches with blue tarps, the paint always
starts to peel after a winter spent under
a tarp, or sometimes the blue tarp itself
sticks onto to the bench, which is what
happened with our Lutyens memorial
garden bench.
Sometimes all you need is a chair
Every year when the paradise lily blooms
in our memorial garden, I take a chair
outside and take a seat next to the lily.
I’m primed for memories, but when I
stand and my hound Truffle jumps onto
the chair for his turn, I’m brought back
to the good-living laughter of the present.
Truffle smells the sticky, sweet scent. For
a hound who digs gophers relentlessly
(and catches them, too), he’s quite taken
with a scent that wipes away the musk of
his earthly pursuits.
There are always those huge, erratic rocks
upon which to rest a spell or a handy
stump works, too, but a chair, parked in
needed spots, can relieve a sore back and
give you time to wipe away sweat.
This summer, remember the no-guilt sit.
If needed, I give you permission to sit,
see, breathe, smell, enjoy.
Renée E. D’Aoust’s most recent publication is an essay “Troy, Kansas” in
the Redwood Coast Review (page 5):
http://www.stephenkessler.com/rcr/
31
Fair, Rodeo
Photography by Steve Ritter
Tyler Cowger makes a complete eight second ride in the Jr.
Steer Riding event at the Adams County Rodeo. Nate Bayes competing in the bareback riding at the Adams County
Rodeo in Council, Idaho.
Junior Poultry Showmanship, 10 year-old class, at the Canyon County fair.
Amanda Hellums from the Destined to be a Kid 4-H club is showing the
duck.
32
Lauren Clark and her Red Angus steer Tucker took 1st
place in beef showmanship at the Canyon County Fair.
Season Arrives
Swine showing at the Canyon County Fair. Herding a pig takes patience. Joe the turkey and Jessica Jackson of Middleton in the poultry
competition at the Canyon County Fair.
Breanna Morford of Wilder takes timeout for a blue
snow cone at the Canyon County Fair.
Kids learn about Agriculture at the Canyon County Farm Bureau booth
in the expo building of the Canyon County Fair. Idaho Farm Bureau Quarterly / SUMMER 2009
33
AMERICAN FARM BUREAU FEDERATION NEWS
AFBF: Rushing Climate Bill Would be “Height of Folly”
WASHINGTON, D.C., July 22, 2009 –
American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman today asked the Senate
Agriculture Committee to take an active
and aggressive role in the climate change
debate, but cautioned committee members
that rushing to pass such sweeping legislation would be a fundamental mistake.
“On a matter that could affect our nation
for literally decades to come, it would be
the height of folly to rush to judgment in a
matter of days or weeks,” said Stallman.
Testifying before the Senate Committee on
Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, Stallman encouraged members to analyze the
issue closely, carefully and thoroughly. He
also recommended that the committee improve climate change legislation so that it is
as beneficial as possible for the agriculture
industry.
Currently, the Senate is examining H.R.
2454, the House-passed climate change
bill, which will serve as the basis for writing Senate companion legislation. AFBF is
strongly opposed to H.R. 2454 for several
reasons. As written, the bill would impose
enormous costs on agriculture and other
sectors of the economy; the cap-and-trade
program would take effect whether or not
competing nations like India and China ad34
opted similar programs, meaning U.S. industries would have an incentive to locate
overseas. It also provides no concrete alternative energy program, such as nuclear,
to hold down energy costs; and, lastly, the
measure would appear to have little or no
impact on the climate, Stallman noted.
“Most recently, the administrator of EPA
testified before the Senate that the H.R.
2454 would have a negligible impact on
temperature by the year 2050,” said Stallman. “And virtually everyone agrees that
the U.S. alone can’t solve the problem.”
AFBF contends that reducing carbon emissions must be a shared, global responsibility. Without other countries doing their part
to lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions,
H.R. 2454 will never work. Stallman noted
that while the United States may be a large
emitter of GHGs, if emissions are measured based on unit of output, the U.S. is
one of the cleanest producers. The effect of
HR 2454, Stallman pointed out, would be
to punish environmentally sound practices
while letting others off the hook.
“A ton of GHG emitted in China is the
same as a ton of GHG emitted in Virginia,”
said Stallman. “Regulating emissions in
Virginia without regulating emissions in
China will have little or no effect on the
environment.”
AFBF also maintains that an agricultural
offsets program administered by the Agriculture Department is an essential cost
containment measure, but revenues from
offsets will only partially defray increased
costs and not all agriculture sectors will
benefit from offset opportunities.
“Inclusion of an offset program is not the
complete answer,” said Stallman. “Even
with a robust agricultural offset program,
the bill still does not make economic sense
for producers because a number of sectors
will be not able to participate.”
Participating in an offset program will depend to a great degree on where the producer is located, what he or she grows and
if his or her business can take advantage
of the program, Stallman noted. Not every
dairy farmer can afford to capture methane. Not every farmer lives in a region
where wind turbines are an option. Not
every farmer can take advantage of no-till.
And not every farmer has the land to set
aside to plant trees, according to Stallman.
“Yet, these producers will incur the same
increased fuel, fertilizer and energy costs
as their counterparts who can benefit from
the offsets market,” said Stallman.
U.S. Consumers Deserve Safe, Wholesome Food
WASHINGTON D.C. - Adequate funding,
increased education and training for inspectors, development of rapid testing procedures and tools, and compensation for
producers who suffer marketing losses due
to inaccurate government-advised recalls
are critical considerations as the federal
food safety system is evaluated, according
to the American Farm Bureau Federation.
Testifying in mid-July on behalf of AFBF
before the House Agriculture Committee,
Larry Wooten, president of the North Carolina Farm Federation, said, “The nation’s
food safety system must have the resources, authority and structural organization to
safeguard the health of American consumers against foodborne illness. Evaluating
food safety laws to determine whether they
have kept pace with significant changes in
food production, processing and market-
ing...and the growing volume of imports is
a priority for agriculture and the food industry, as well as government.”
The U.S. currently imports food from more
than 150 countries through more than 300
ports.
“As the supply chain gets longer, there are
more opportunities, both accidental and
intentional, for the introduction of public
health threats,” Wooten said.
He noted that the number of people involved in preparing the food Americans
eat has increased over time. With approximately 50 cents out of every retail food dollar spent on food and meals eaten outside
the home, the need for adequate training
of foodservice workers is more important
than ever.
Although farmers and ranchers do understand the need for continuous food safety
improvement, Wooten said, “the farm-level impact on producers must be considered
in any new food safety regulations or legislation.”
Commenting on the Food Safety Enhancement Act (H.R. 2749), Wooten also expressed strong concern regarding provisions that would expand the Food and Drug
Administration’s authority to include regulation of on-farm production activities.
“Farms are explicitly included in extensive
recordkeeping, reporting and traceability measures which may not be feasible or
practical for many producers,” Wooten explained. Such measures also are likely to
impose significant costs on food producers.
35
Tax Code Change Would Benefit America’s Hungry
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The American Farm Bureau Federation is urging members of Congress to support a change
to the tax code that makes it more feasible for farmers and
ranchers to donate food they grow to charitable organizations.
“Despite the wealth of our country, affordable food prices
and ongoing government food assistance programs, some
people still have difficulty purchasing food for a proper
diet,” AFBF President Bob Stallman wrote in letters to
members of the Senate and House.
Stallman noted that Senate bill S. 1313, the Good Samaritan Hunger Relief Tax Incentive Extension Act of 2009, and
similar legislation introduced in the House will encourage
farmers to donate to hunger relief organizations. The new
legislation would permanently allow farmers and ranchers
to take advantage of tax deductions when they donate food
they have grown, regardless of how they file their taxes.
Under current law, which expires at the end of 2009, only
farmers and ranchers who use the accrual method of accounting may benefit from incentives for charitable donations of food.
Stallman pointed out that some farmers and ranchers already donate food they grow to charitable organizations
that feed the hungry. “Many more would do so if they were
able to bear the costs of harvesting, processing and transportation,” he said.
Farm Bureau supports tax policy reform that encourages
individuals and companies to do all they can to help people
in need.
REASONS TO LOVE
PHOTO CONTEST
I
f you have a great shot of Idaho that you’d
like to share, the “Reasons to Love Idaho”
photo contest could be your shot at a brand-new
iPod Touch and other great prizes. Even if you don’t have
a shot to submit, doesn’t this give you the perfect excuse
to get out and see some of the great reasons to love Idaho
with someone special? For more information, visit:
www.reasonstoloveidaho.com
WIN AN IPOD TOUCH!
36
Idaho milk production has dipped in recent months in response to oversupply which has pushed farm gate prices to below $10 per hundredweight.
Dairy operators need prices in the $15 range in order to cover production costs. Over the past several years Idaho has been one of the fastest growing
states for milk production. Dairy economists blame lost export markets due to global recession for the overproduction problem.
Market Down, Milk Production Down
By Jake Putnam
BOISE - Idaho milk production
dropped in June to 1.04 billion pounds,
a 0.9 percent decline from the same
month last year, and down 1.7 percent
from May 2009, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service.
“There is no doubt that the current economic situation has been disastrous for
the dairy industry and in the short term
we will likely see more producers exiting
the industry,” said Bob Smathers, agricultural economist and regional manager for
the Idaho Farm Bureau. “A sign of distress
is the herd liquidation that is beginning to
occur and this has started to affect milk
supply.”
May 2009 milk production was revised to
1.06 billion pounds, up 9 million pounds
from the preliminary level. Average milk
production per cow in June 2009 was
1,880 pounds, down 20 pounds from June
2008. The average number of milk cows
in Idaho during June was 552,000 head,
down 1,000 head from the revised May
2009, but up 1,000 head from June 2008.
“On the positive side,” said Smathers, “A
lower milk supply and projected higher domestic demand will likely raise
prices toward the end of 2009 and beyond and this will help those producers
that can hold on. But it is still speculation at this point as to how much prices
will increase over the next 12 months.”
Milk production in the top 23 dairy States
last month 14.7 billion pounds, down 0.1
percent from June 2008. May revised production at 15.5 billion pounds, was up 0.5
percent from May 2008. The May adjust-
ment showed an increase of 46 million
pounds or 0.3 percent from last month’s
preliminary production estimate. Production per cow in the 23 major States averaged 1,746 pounds for June, 10 pounds
above June 2008. The number of milk cows
on farms in the 23 major States was 8.44
million head, 56,000 head less than June
2008, and 29,000 head less than May 2009.
According to the Cattle Network, The normal seasonal decline in milk production
and the seasonal strong fall sales of dairy
products will strengthen milk prices in the
months ahead. But, milk production may
need to fall 2 to 3 percent below year ago
levels to get the milk price at a level to stop
the financial stress now being experienced
by dairy producers. That means the Class
III price needs to get to at least the $15 to
$16 per hundredweight range. This may not
happen until 2010.
37
A haul truck dumps slag from a phosphate refining mill near Soda Springs. Phosphate mining provides over 1,300 jobs in southeast Idaho and
contributes over $30 million in annual payroll and benefits.
Monsanto Plans Mine Expansion Near Soda Springs
By John Thompson
Phosphate mining is one of the biggest contributors to the economy
of southeast Idaho. In addition, the
products derived from phosphorous
taken out of the ground in mines
north of Soda Springs touch all of
our lives and are critical to agricultural production.
38
The main uses of the elemental phosphorus mined in Caribou County are
fertilizer and glyphosate, the active
ingredient in Roundup herbicide.
Other agricultural and industrial
uses include livestock feed supplements, hydraulic fluids and metal
lubricants. It can also be made into
food grade phosphoric acid commonly used in soft drinks and as a
water purifier used in municipal
drinking water systems.
There are two companies currently
mining phosphate ore in Caribou
County. The JR Simplot Company’s
Smoky Canyon Mine employs 200
people with an additional 375 employees at its Pocatello Don Plant
where the product is refined into fer-
tilizer. An expansion of this mine is
in process, but is currently awaiting
a court decision. The other company,
Monsanto, which employs 770 people, is seeking a permit from the Bureau of Land Management to open
a new mine near its existing operation.
The BLM is expected to release an
environmental impact statement on
the Blackfoot Bridge Mine in early
August. As soon as the EIS is released, a public comment period will
commence.
County. Those releases have resulted
in the death of a few horses and several sheep. Selenium is a trace mineral that is essential for good health
but too much of it can be harmful to
animals. Many sedimentary rock formations contain selenium, including
those that surround phosphate. The
mined rock or “overburden” can result in selenium runoff if not properly controlled. It’s been over 10 years
since there were any problems detected from selenium contamination
and Monsanto officials are confident
that new environmental safeguards
The main uses of the elemental phosphorus mined in
Caribou County are fertilizer and glyphosate, the active
ingredient in Roundup herbicide. Other agricultural and
industrial uses include livestock feed supplements, hydraulic fluids and metal lubricants. It can also be made into food
grade phosphoric acid commonly used in soft drinks and as
a water purifier used in municipal drinking water systems.
The Blackfoot Bridge mine will
be located primarily on companyowned property. Monsanto officials
approached the Idaho Farm Bureau
earlier this summer with a request to
help circulate information about the
new mine and to solicit public comment about the new mine.
Recognizing not only the obvious
benefits to agriculture of maintaining phosphate mining in Idaho, but
also the economic benefits these
mines provide to our economy, Farm
Bureau agreed to help. The hills
north of Soda Springs are one of the
only places in the world that produce
phosphate ore. That ore is refined
into a product called glyphosate that
is in turn manufactured into a herbicide called Roundup, which is widely
used by farmers and homeowners to
control weeds.
In the past there have been releases
of selenium into streams in Caribou
will protect surrounding streams.
Several years ago Monsanto pioneered a process of genetic modification of crops that produced a resistance to glyphosate. This breakthrough, called Roundup Ready,
allows farmers to spray Roundup
directly on their crops. The crops are
able to resist the herbicide while any
weeds are killed. Farmers have become big fans of this technology because it cuts their costs by reducing
the amount of herbicides they use.
Previously they had to use different
chemicals to target different kinds
of weeds, but Roundup is a broadspectrum herbicide that kills most
all weeds.
This technology allows farmers to
increase yields through better weed
control. In addition, the technology
allows growers to use no-till methods on 62 million acres in the U.S.
alone, with the potential to more than
double that amount. With no-till,
farmers don’t have to plow fields.
Less disturbance of the dirt sequesters, or traps carbon in the soil, rather than releasing it into the air in the
form of carbon dioxide. This method
conserves topsoil, reduces soil runoff into streams and decreases fuel
use by reducing tractor traffic across
fields
From an environmental perspective, this technology reduces agriculture’s impact on land and water
and this is exactly the kind of progress that makes farms more efficient
and keeps American families on the
land. We think that’s important. We
know that not only farms but most
families keep a bottle of Roundup in
the garage. Roundup is also used by
lots of other folks who manage ball
fields, golf courses, cemeteries and
various other large tracts of land. We
urge all Idaho farmers, ranchers and
anyone else who has a stake in this
process to write in and let the Bureau
of Land Management know how important it is to maintain phosphate
ore production in southeast Idaho.
For more information, visit www.
monsanto.com/sodasprings.
To easily submit comments on the
environmental impact statement via
e-mail and to get additional information, the Idaho Farm Bureau Federation’s website will post a link when
the public comment period opens.
Members can go to the following
link to submit comments: www.
idahofb.org and click on the link for
Monsanto mine.
To submit comments via regular
mail, send them to:
Blackfoot Bridge EIS Project Manager
Bureau of Land Management
Pocatello Field Office
4350 Cliffs Drive
Pocatello, ID 83204
39
August & September
A Great Time To Go!
Open weekdays through Aug. 23
Open weekends through Sept. 20
Open weekdays through Sept. 7
Open weekends through Sept. 27
40
AFBF Task Force Makes Budget Recommendations
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The federal
government must learn to live within its
means. That strong message was conveyed recently to the American Farm Bureau Federation Board of Directors by an
internal committee created to analyze the
national deficit. The AFBF committee,
known as the Federal Deficit Task Force,
made a set of recommendations for Farm
Bureau members to consider as they formulate policy for 2010.
“We must get control of federal borrowing
before it consumes us, before other countries decide to stop lending and while we
can get control of the problem,” said Craig
Lang, chairman of the task force and president of Iowa Farm Bureau.
The primary objective of the task force was
to recommend ways to achieve a balanced
federal budget by 2019. The task force
looked at all parts of the budget, including
healthcare and Social Security, from the
congressional budget process to government revenues. The task force consisted
of eight Farm Bureau members, four older
representatives and four from the Young
Farmer and Rancher program. The committee has been meeting since last December.
To accomplish the health care objectives
the committee recommended policy discussions considering a program which
would provide each citizen with a voucher
sufficient to purchase a bare-bones, private
health insurance policy. Such health care
vouchers could be used only for insurance
plans that incorporate reforms necessary to
reduce the growth in health care costs. To
encourage innovation, voucher financing
would be determined on a regional basis,
noted Lang.
“While politically difficult, the solutions
are more concrete than healthcare.”
The task force said there are really only
two ways to balance the budget: lower
spending or raise revenues, or some combination of the two. All programs outside
of national defense should be under serious
review and after reductions are made, consideration should then be turned to enhancing revenues, with any revenue generated
going to lowering the deficit, not creating
new programs.
After analyzing the complex healthcare issue, the group determined that solving Social Security was actually a more manageable problem that can be resolved by considering three measures: raising the normal
retirement age and indexing eligibility to
longevity, which would lower benefits or
increasing trust fund revenues by removing the cap on taxable earnings.
The task force’s recommendations are concepts for consideration. They do not set or
change AFBF policy.
“It is important to understand the information delivered by the task force is to inform
members as they develop the organizations
policy positions for 2010,” said Stallman.
“We are a grassroots organization. Our
members set our priorities.”
“Social Security is a problem, said Lang.
WORD SEARCH
Answers From Page 17
Rivers in Idaho - Solution
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“We wanted a sense of how the problem
was viewed by a range of people,” said Bob
Stallman, President of American Farm Bureau Federation.
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While analyzing the nation’s deficit, the
task force cited increasing healthcare costs
as a major impediment to balancing the
budget. “The real 800-pound gorilla for future budgets is health care,” Lang said.
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The group recommended the AFBF policy
process look at cutting healthcare spending by: implementing a centralized source
to coordinate medical records, utilizing
incentives for results (not procedures), preventive care, shortening hospital stays and
limiting government sponsored coverage
to only necessary and cost-effective procedures.
41
Classifieds
DEADLINE DATES: ADS MUST BE RECEIVED BY OCTOBER 20 FOR NEXT ISSUE.
Animals
Miscellaneous
Vehicles
Wanted
Hypoallergenic Horses! www.creeksidecurlies.
net Juliaetta, ID 208-276-7540
Rock Solid 6ft mud flap for Motorhome or
trailer; Road Master Falcon tow bar; xxxx
Stetson Hats, 4x Beavers - Size 7-Revenger
Taupe, Size 7 1/8 - Brown, Long oval, 3 1/4
in brims. Pocatello, Id 208-234-1314
1961 Ford one ton flatbed dually. 100 hrs
on rebuilt 292 V8, new deck, new tires,
new battery. 4 speed manual transmission.
$1,495.00 Orofino, ID 208-476-7128
Paying cash for German & Japanese war
relics/souvenirs! Pistols, rifles, swords, daggers,
flags, scopes, optical equipment, uniforms,
helmets, machine guns (ATF rules apply)
medals, flags, etc. 549-3841 (evenings) or
208-405-9338.
APHA Herd Reduction. Great quality/
bloodlines/conformation. All ages. Low prices.
$100 and up. Caldwell, Id. 208-454-2454
Black/White paint colt. 50/50 pattern. 2
month old. We wean at 3 months. Email
for pics. [email protected] 208-2635549
Mini Aussie puppies for sale. All colors raised
around children and animals. See them at
www.rcowhorses.net or call 208-681-0993
Farm Equipment
1460 International Combine. Low
hours. American Falls 208-241-0005 4 horse hot walker for sale, 2 1/2 steel
pipe $500. Hamilton Thorn Equitainer $200.
208-263-5549 Forklift extensions 8 ft. Cost $800 will sell
for $399. Boise, Id 208-863-7896
Harriston clod hopper model 160 used very
little on small potato farm. New condition
$20,000. Better Built cutter 48’. Sorting
table & other misc. potato equipment. Arco
Id 208-527-3147
Used Farm and poultry equipment, including
JD Hillside 95 Combines, cultivating
equipment, 1 ton feed bin and scaleDebeaker. Moscow, Id 208-882-4292
Balewagons: New Holland self-propelled or
pull-type models. Will consider any model.
Also interested in buying balewagons. Call
Jim at 880-2889 or evenings 208-4593268
Miscellaneous
Water shares: 10 shares in Northside Canal
Company water. $2,400 per share. 208-5399039 or 735-9876
Low Cost Residential Plans - New & Remodel
- Magic Lamp Drafting & Design Jim @
208-320-0478 [email protected]
Factory Seconds Foam Insulation Sheets 4’x8’
Large Qty. Grace, ID. www.zinsulation.com
801-717-5890
Flag poles by Old Sarge. Custom made from
2” galvanized poles. Any length, 16-30 ft.
Check us out. Wilford Green, 2618 N. Inkom
Rd. Inkom, Id 208-775-3490
Save 40% to 50% Off Lasik Eye Surgery.
Free Consultations. 13 convenient Idaho
locations. WWW.QUALSIGHT.COM/-IDFB call
866-244-0962
Recreational Equipment
1988 18’8” Glastron boat and trailer. 165
hp Alpha One MerCruiser with electric
trolling motor, fish finder, and full travel
cover. Excellent fishing boat; good condition.
Ashton, ID 208-652-7214
Vehicles
2003 Cadillac Deville, 94,000 miles. Runs
and looks like new. Or 2006 Chev. Monte
Carlo 34,500 miles. 30 mpg hiway. Will
sell 1 of them, wife passed away. 208796-2770
1994 BMW 540i -recently serviced. 138k
miles, silver w/chrome wheels. sunroof,
new tires/brakes. a/c and heater well
maintained. 20-24 mpg $4995. Boise, Id.
208-585-7923
1983 Porsche 944-Rebuilt motor, low miles,
red, 5 speed. new tires/brakes, 35 mpg $4500. Boise, Id. 208-585-7923
Wanted
Need Hesston 500 Header Parts” will take
whole swather if necessary. Call 208-4058914.
Want to buy 8-Row Pickette type Bean
planter 22 inch, and 8 row bean cultivator.
Hansen, Id. 208-731-6982
Old issues of Idaho Farmer-Stockman. If you
have issues older than 1971 (I can get more
recent issues through the libraries), and
would allow them to be borrowed, please
contact me at [email protected].
Boise, Id 208 323-7963
Old License Plates Wanted: Also key chain
license plates, old signs, light fixtures. Will
pay cash. Please email, call or write. Gary
Peterson, 130 E Pecan, Genesee, Id 83832.
[email protected]. 208-285-1258
Paying cash for U.S. coin collections, silver
dollars, gold coins, proof sets, accumulations,
estates. 90% silver.Will travel, all transactions
confidential. Please call 208-859-7168
Free Classified ads online for
Farm Bureau members.
www.idahofbclassifieds.com
FREE CLASSIFIEDS
Non commercial classified ads are free to Idaho Farm Bureau members.
Must include membership number for free ad. Forty (40) words maximum.
Non-member cost- 50 cents per word. You may advertise your own crops,
livestock, used machinery, household items, vehicles, etc. Ads will not be
accepted by phone. Ads run one time only and must be re-submitted in each
subsequent issue. We reserve the right to refuse to run any ad. Please type or
print clearly. Proof-read your ad.
Mail ad copy to:
P.O. Box 4848, Pocatello, ID 83205-4848
or email Dixie at
[email protected]
Name: __________________________________________________________________________
Address: _________________________________________________________________________
City / State / Zip: __________________________________________________________________
Phone: _____________________________________ Membership No. ___________________
Ad Copy: ________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
42
Actual email received by the Farm
Bureau Member Benefits Department:
I just wanted to share my success story that I had with the Sears Commercial benefit from my
Federation discount. I’m remodeling my kitchen which means new appliances. My husband
and I were able rack up savings of about $700.00 off the list prices of our appliances.
On top of this savings we are also getting a nice sum of cash back as a rebate from Sears
Commercial. The process was simple and the shipping very affordable ($65 total). I just wanted
to let you know that I found great value in this benefit and thanks for the work you do
coordinating these benefits! Thanks. Erica Catt
Step 1:
Members go to sears.com and
find the product(s) they are
interested in and write down the
product/model number(s).
Step 2:
Members email the product
number(s) to Farm Bureau’s
designated contact at Sears
Appliance Select:
[email protected]
for a quote. To receive this pricing
a member must include their Farm
Bureau membership number and
Farm Bureau discount
code CU068062 in the email.
Step 3:
After receiving a quote (allow 2-3
business days), members can then
choose to use a credit card to
purchase the discounted
item(s) and it will be delivered via
a custom freight company.
THIS OFFER IS NOT
AVAILABLE THROUGH SEARS
RETAIL OR DEALER STORES.
All manufacturer warranties apply with the option to purchase extended Sears Protection Agreements. Installation is not included with delivery.
...and then
it hits you.
You mean I’ve had
Farm Bureau
discount benefits this
entire time?
Version 112
CHOICE HOTELS
Comfort Inn
Comfort Suites
Quality Inn
Sleep Inn
Clarion
Main Stay Suites
Econo Lodge
Rodeway Inn
RENTAL CARS
Hertz
Enterprise
Avis
APPLIANCES
Sears Commercial
HEALTH INSURANCE
Blue Cross
DODGE VEHICLE
$500 REBATE
Ram
Nitro
Journey
Charger
Dakota
Durango
Caliber
Avenger
Grand Caravan
HEARING
SUMMER FUN
Clear Value - Siemens
Lagoon
BULK FUEL
American Hearing Benefits
Roaring Springs
CBC
Silverwood
COMPUTERS
Wahooz Family Fun Zone
AUTO TIRES
Dell
San Diego Zoo
Commercial Tire
WYNDHAM HOTELS
Sea World
Super 8
EYE CARE
Cub River Guest Ranch
MEDICATION
Days Inn
Coast-to-Coast
Hansen Guest Ranch
Travelodge
Qualsight - “LASIK” The Canadian Pharmacy
Grand Targhee (Summer)
New Benefits Pharmacy
Knights Inn
Hell’s Canyon Adventures
Wyndam
OFFICE SUPPLIES
Teton Springs Resort (Winter)
CELL PHONE
Wingate Inns
Office Depot
T-Mobile
Howard Johnson
WINTER SKIING
AmeriHost Inn
LIFEFLIGHT
Pebble Creek
SHUTTLE
Villager Ramada
EIRMC
Bogus Basin
TRANSPORT
Portneuf
Brundage Mtn.
Salt Lake Express
INDUSTRIAL
St. Alphonsus
Silver Mountain
SUPPLIES
St. Lukes
Park City, UT
CARPET
Grainger
The Canyons, UT
Carpet One
PAINT
Dear Valley Resort,UT
SYNTHETIC OIL
Sherwin Williams
CLOTHING ITEMS
Amsoil
Kelly-Moore Paints
PROPANE
Lands End
Columbia Paint
Amerigas
FB Apparel
FINANCIAL
SAFES
$1,000 Accidental Death
Heritage Safes
$1,000 Vandalism Reward
www.idahofb.org (Select Member Benefits)
Family of Member Services
TM
For more Information call 208-239-4289

- Idaho Farm Bureau

Transcription

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